“Checking is … sometimes regarded as a dull and tedious occupation, but such a conception of this position is extremely erroneous. Any bright girl who really applies herself to the handling of the checking problem can have a very pleasant time with it and fill the week with happy moments and memorable occasions. The most important point to remember in checking is that the writer is your natural enemy. He is trying to see how much he can get away with. Remember that when people write letters about mistakes, it is you who will be screeched at. So protect yourself.”
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A job description of fact checking by Time’s editor Edward Kennedy, as quoted in Regret the Error: How Media Mistakes Pollute the Press and Imperil Free Speech by Craig Silverman.
Fact checking started at magazines like Time in the 20s, and was a job reserved for women.
